I spent about 45 minutes on a call with a former Blackhawk pilot who is currently a pilot for a major carrier. His assessment is that the crash was likely due to a cascading series of errors in part due to inadequate disclosure from the Tower about the location and altitude of the regional aircraft compounded by inadequate staffing in the Tower, and the diminished situational awareness of the pilot of the Blackhawk due to the use of night vision goggles. He further explained that automated flight sensors are generally turned off below 1,000 feet as Visual Flight Rules apply and automated warnings and systems are considered distractions and/or otherwise increase risk. He explained that the Blackhawk test runs are necessary to prepare for the potential need to evacuate the Pres/VP and others in the hierarchy of command to the airport and/or secret bunkers in the event of an enemy attack. I found his assessment to be extremely credible, which leads me to believe that this was most certainly a tragic accident. In the conversation, he also expressed his concern about how the FAA fails to act with sufficient urgency to address serious safety issues that pilots and others have raised for years until ‘blood is shed.’ He explained that the FAA’s dual missions to promote air travel and safeguard the skies are in conflict, and lead to long delays in implementing important safety changes in protocols and equipment as carriers push back against investing capital and/or introducing new procedures that cost money and/or time. He gave me a number of such examples from the past where the FAA delayed acting on pilot concerns until planes went down. He explained that the FAA has been captured by the airline industry, much like the FDA has been inappropriately captured and influenced by the Pharma lobby. While he generally believes that Air Traffic Control does ‘a great job,’ he also expressed agreement with @realDonaldTrump in how DEI has injected itself into ATC and in pilot recruitment. He gave examples of having to take over the controls within moments of landing to avoid a crash landing when a co-pilot with inadequate experience, training and capabilities was too quickly advanced into the cockpit to meet DEI goals. He also said the pilot shortage is real and we need to recruit more candidates. All of the above create a real opportunity for change in U.S. aviation in the Trump administration and speak to the importance of the selection of new leadership for the FAA and a focus on excellence and meritocracy rather than meeting quota goals. I have always believed that good comes from the bad. Let’s not let the 67 souls who lost their lives die in vain. Let’s make sure this tragedy is a catalyst for important and rapid improvements in US aviation.